A fine WordPress.com site

Category Archives: My Posts

http://shireen122chang.wordpress.com/ comments, “I’m pretty nervous for my Assignment 3 because it is connected to my Professional Experience (PE). It has required us to prepare and implement the ICTs into the teaching in our real school context”, I to am feeling quite nervous about this assignment, my last prac I created and implemented lessons, which went well, I think this time it is ‘scarey’ because, well really after just writing that I have implemented lessons previously I’m not so sure I’m that nervous, or is it just because it is ICT? Anyway thanks Shireen for expressing your feelings, sometimes I think no-one else has these fears. I am glad you have a great mentor, as mine and her colleagues are at my setting. We just need to get into it and begin. I will find out more on Tuesday from my mentor what they use, so I should be feeling a little less nervous after then. Let’s hope!

Reflecting on our practices is an important tool, however using those around us will be an effective tool for our practices, “All teachers can develop habits of mind conducive to effective decision making. Reflection is a skill that is best fostered with colleagues. Coworkers who demonstrate expertise in posing and solving problems often prove to be good mentors. They usually have the ability to listen analytically—focusing on key information that helps clarify what needs to be explored—and they have expanded repertoires of options”, http://www.ascd.org/publications/educational-leadership/feb09/vol66/num05/Fostering-Reflection.aspx “With deliberate thinking, an educator purposefully seeks more information than the immediate context provides by, for example, revisiting theory, talking with colleagues, interviewing students or reviewing student records. The goal is to learn more to better understand the dilemma”. I will want my students to learn, for this to happen productively and effectively I will need to continue learning about myself my thoughts, ideas, practices to provide my students with the right learning tools for them.

After listening to Dr James Gee, “More recently, Gee’s work has focused on the learning principles in video games and how these learning principles can be applied to the K-12 classroom.[10] Video games, when they are successful, are very good at challenging players. They motivate players to persevere and simultaneously teach players how to play. Gee began his work in video games by identifying thirty-six learning principles that are present in – but not exclusive to – the design of good video games.[10] Gee argues for the application of these principles in the classroom. Gee’s video game learning theory includes his identification of twelve basic learning principles. He identifies these as: 1)Active Control, 2) Design Principle, 3) Semiotic Principle, 4) Semiotic Domain, 5) Meta-level Thinking, 6) Psychosocial Moratorium Principle, 7) Committed Learning Principle 8) Identity Principle, 9) Self-knowledge Principle, 10) Amplification of Input Principle, 11) Achievement Principle, 12) Practice Principle, 13) Ongoing Learning Principle, 14) Regime of Competence Principle.[14]“, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Paul_Gee

His thoughts on video games has made me think more about the games my son plays, is it just ‘playing’ games and not ‘getting’ anything out of it – time wasting? Spore, science related, perhaps. Age of Empires, building empires. This is just two games but maybe he has been learning through his play, after all the way my children learn through play today is different to how they learnt in their early years. As long as children are learning in a variety of ways such as the outdoors exploring, sport, social interactions with friends, time spent on their pc’s can be used as a learning tool even if it isn’t school work. Downtime is important for everyone, this is downtime for our children today, I have to admit I enjoy Harry Potter on the xbox, the challenge – you just keep going until you reach your goal. Perhaps well designed games could play a part in our classrooms, just something else to think about for my real world teaching. It is exciting to think I will have my own class oneday and the possibilities are endless. Anyway one step at a time, let’s start with prac.

I found this link http://thebookfairygoddess.blogspot.com.au/2012/09/digital-citizenship.html a refreshing look at ICT use for younger students to be a positive and informative way for them to understand the importance of safe ICT use. Incorporating the safety aspects into lessons and the rules set out for ICT use will develop the students positive use of their personal devices at school, if we start educating the students early and not be afraid to address the issues associated with these devices, students will hopefully understand the rules and why it is important to follow these, for their friends and themselves and I think also for the respect of their school. Thanks you http://doreentorrance.wordpress.com/ for this link

Reading these five reasons I realize more the importance for students to incorporate not just blogging but ICT into their learning as the positives extend further than just learning what is required from a class lesson. Understanding my students will enable me to help teach them in a meaningful way through data collection from their blogs etc which gives an insight into their thoughts, likes and dislikes, interests and even maybe what they think of the lessons I may prepare in the future and my teaching style – always encouraging students to use these sites in a manner that is safe and encouraging to those who read it.

Wow, you can certainly do alot with IWB’s, I have been on a previous prac and used a whiteboard for a lesson and found it very interesting. The principal explained the uses of these to me, but as I wasn’t focusing on ICT then I didn’t get to experiment with it further than using it in the class accessing resources from the learning place. I have just gone through our next module and was amazed with all the resources to use with the whiteboard, I must say I enjoyed doing a science activity on plants, writing in my responses etc. following is the link. I have enjoyed the dinosaur lessons which many sites have in their resources.

Well assignment two is sent, now I just sit and wait and hopefully when I open the result I haven’t done to bad.

Stacey Searl commented on her blog after completing assignment one, “My online artefact by all means isn’t going to be used as an example one for future students, but I am proud of it, and what I have accomplished”, http://staceysearl.wordpress.com/2013/08/10/online-artefact-finished-yeehaa/ I agree strongly with Stacey that it is an accomplishment to produce this artefact considering I have never created anything like this before and as with my assignment two, what a challenge – for me anyway – I have accomplished something new and hopefully I will do well. I do know that my work will not be used as an example, repeating Stacey’s sentiments but it is my personal achievement that is rewarding for me.

I became involved in some of the games and found them very interesting. One that showed me how far education has come over the past, lets say 29 years. was the keyboard skills, http://www.doorwayonline.org.uk/texttype.html I found this not intimidating at all, as I remember learning to type all those years ago with a ‘bib’ over our keyboards and having to remember where the keys were and then having the teacher walking around the room making sure you got it right, wow, ICT has made learning to type fun, not scary or intimidating. There are so many positives of ICT use and the children today are lucky to have these resources on hand. Typing was never taken by males when I was at school, but my son he has it down pat, knows his keys and types very well.

I agree with Tessa, ICT and the great cull, http://tessamiller10.wordpress.com/ I too have story books galore, but I love books so I don’t think this will change. But the books and resources which I laid my hands on over 20 years ago are still sitting here being occasionally used. My mentor way back then said to me, “If you can get heaps of resources and you have room to store them do it”, well I have been and have a great collection. I guess 20 years later I am accumulating resources on the computer or ipad and storing them safely for use with study and the children I work with, USB’s everywhere maybe if I download everything.

Really I am still collecting resources just storing them differently and I don’t have to lug heavy resource books around to access information, a part of teaching in the 21st century. Managing Digital Clutter will be a helpful site thanks Tessa, http://thecornerstoneforteachers.com/ I know my USQ folders are so full and I really should fix them, I save something and search for quite awhile to access what I want. I may need some decluttering with my ‘old’ resources and ‘new’ resources.

All my negative thoughts and fears, as I have written previously I use search engines, facebook and other apps, not to mention the games I play on my iphone or ipad. It gets me thinking why my kids are so tech savy? After doing the modules on connect.ed and writing this blog it makes me understand that I have protected my children and taught them the correct use of ICT, they can turn if off and walk away, if anything is distasteful or harmful they will discuss it – thank goodness ( I do understand that I am not told everything, but if they are affected by something they will tell me). To have a 17 year old who may access facebook every blue moon or a 15 year old to just have a chat with a friend every now and then knowing the benefits of social media and to use it appropriately, perhaps my fear should run away, I have perhaps helped and protected them with the use of ICT for the 21st century. I’m attempting to get the positive from all this and guess what – I am achieving this through my reflections. After all as a teacher reflection is an important tool.

So my reasoning behind this blog is look at what you can find when you search, so much information for so many things, I found this site involving some games for children regarding protection of our sea life. I enjoyed playing it, unfortunately I couldn’t put an app on my ipad to take to work for the kids. But what I can take from this I can create an experiment with my children. http://www.amsa.gov.au/kids/webby2.html